Suggestions?

by Kayla
((Oregon))

Hi i'm Kayla, i tore my ACL playing basketball, along with my MCL and Meniscus. My surgery is 2 weeks from now and i still don't know what tendon to use to replace my ACL. Any suggestions?

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Suggestions?

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Aug 12, 2009
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Hamstring Tendon
by: Meredith

I had the hamstring graft last year and it wasn't a nad recovery.. I find now that when I run up the stairs at work I get some pain in my hamstring.. :( one of the girls that I work with had the cadaver graft 2 weeks ago and she is already off her crutches.... do some research.. you will find that the recovery for the cadaver graft is quicker and less painful... but that the hamstring may lst longer and be a stronger graft... not to mention that there will be no rejection with your own tissues.. :) good luck!

Aug 28, 2009
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re
by: Anonymous

what graph did you have? I highly reccomend the hamstring graft. i do have some pain in it from time to time but nothing to bad. Good luck, and keep us posted!

Sep 02, 2009
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Update
by: Kayla

Thanks guys! I ended up doing the patellar tendon, and recovery is going good so far. It will be two weeks in a couple days, how long do you think until I can run again?

Sep 03, 2009
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running
by: Anonymous

it all depends on what your doctor wants, and sometimes the graft makes a difference. i had the hamstring graft, and i started running at 12 weeks with a sports brace. 6-12 weeks you are at the highest risk for re injury, so even though you may be strong enough, you are at a much higher risk to re tear it. Most of my friends started at around 12 weeks. i've heard of some people starting at around 8 weeks, but i think 12 weeks is normal. everyone is different though. When you can run, you probably wont be allowed to sprint at first, and change directions. I was allowed to sprint at 4 months, but at the end of a sprint i had to go into a jog because they don't want you making fast stops. It will be 21 weeks for me on monday, and i feel great! I can play sports and 39 days! This is a long road, but you will be there before you know it. You can check my story out at 14 years olds ACL injury/Story/recovery or something like that, and i have comments listed on how i did during the process. Good luck, and if you have any questions feel free to ask!

Sep 12, 2009
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i guess 5 months for running safely
by: Sylvie

I partially tore my ACL half a year ago (but it is functionally unstable now). I think it will take about 5 months for you to be able to get running. From what my physical therapist tells me, the rehab for a partial tear is very similar to the rehab for post surgery.
How is your recovery going now that you are at week 3?

Sep 12, 2009
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...
by: Anonymous

Wow 5 months seems like a long time not to be able to run.. my recover is going good so far my flexion is at
about 126 and extension is minus two so hopefully I will continue to gain more motion as I do my
excersizes. Do you have full range of motion? And are you expecting our acl to heal on it's own eventually?

Sep 17, 2009
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ACL Patellar graft
by: Gianna

Im 17 years old and I had the Patellar done three weeks ago on my left knee. The reason being is I want to get back to sports right away and my surgeon said that the Patellar might be more painful in the first couple days after surgery, but then it will be the strongest, even stronger then my original ACL. I was off from crutches after three days after surgery, no pain pills except the anti-inflammatory. My full range of motion was back after a week of P.T, I have been running on a treadmill and jogging up and down the court since last week and tomorrow will be 4 weeks from the day of the surgery. My doctor and P.T are very impressed. My surgeon said he sees me back to the game in 3-4 months. My P.T said " Wow....thats too soon. 6 months is when I would say" But Im not telling her Im listening to my surgeon. He said because I used my own bone and its healing on my own bone, the healing process is fast. He said I might not have my A game right away, but I don't care as long as I am able to play. So push yourself with all those boring therapy exercises cuz it will make your leg stronger, quicker. Now both of us have to keep our quads and our hamstring strong to prevent the other ACL from tearing.

Sep 17, 2009
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re:
by: Anonymous

i think you will be running sooner than 5 months. i was running at three months with a brace. I am sure it will not be 5 months, 6-9 months is full recovery for sports, so i am sure you will be running before 5 months. What graft did you have?

Sep 17, 2009
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Re: Giana
by: Anonymous

Hey Giana!
I am glad you are doing so well, but i do want to warn you to be VERY CAREFUL! Are you wearing a brace? Even though you feel ok, your knee still isn't ready. You are at the highest risk to retear your ACL from a month-3months because you feel ok, but your knee still isn't ready. I felt fine at a month to run but i had to wait till 3 months, and it will be 23 weeks on monday since my surgery. i feel ready to play sports, but, i started doing some drills, but my dr. & PT said your knee isn't completely ready till 6 months, and it takes a year for it to be completely normal. Just listen to your Dr. And Especially PT, they are the ones that work with you all the time. Good luck with your recovery. I am not trying to be negative, i just don't want you to have to go through reinjury! Just be careful, work hard as it already sounds, and listen to PT & Doctor and you will do great!

Sep 19, 2009
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...
by: Kayla

Thanks for your responses guys! I ended up doing the patellar tendon too, i'm not released for running or jumping yet, but hopefully soon, and I still have about 7 degrees untilfull range of motion.

Oct 08, 2009
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ACL Patellar graft
by: Gianna

I saw my surgeon yesterday, it has been 6 weeks since my surgery. I am doing jumping and running at P.T. My doctor will NOT want me to wear a brace because he feels I will rely on it too much and so will my knee and it will weaken it. He said between the 6th and 10th week of healing is the most important time to not over do it. At the 12th week he said that as long as my hamstring is back to 80% I will be under no restrictions. Of course I listen to my Doctor and my P.T. I would never do anything stupid especially having gone through this once. Everyone is different but I wanted to share my incredible story of healing. God Bless.